View Full Version : Arm and Phono Stage advice
I've just become the proud owner of this beauty..
https://i.imgur.com/ISG9lmIh.jpg
I recently won a Hana SL in a competition. So now I have a couple of questions that you good people might help me with please? Could you recommend a phono stage that works well with the Hana, considering it's need for a load greater than 400ohm's. I need to keep the price reasonable and I did think of the Mo-Fi Studio Phono. Does anyone have any experience of this stage?
Also, I have a RB250 on an old Planar 2 that a friend has given me. I'm not sure if the arm is fully ok, as there is some lateral play at the base end of the arm. Therefore, what would you consider? I did think of the Origin Live Onyx, but then I've seen the Audiomods Series 6 arm and the juices are flowing! Anyway, any thoughts would be really appreciated.
Many thanks
Oh and mods, could you change the title to Phono Stage and not Phone please... I don't need one of those.. Thanks :doh:
walpurgis
25-07-2019, 19:42
Done.
Nice deck. If it was mine, I'd bung a Mission 774 on it, but then I would say that 'cos I bung a 774 on every deck! :)
Bigman80
25-07-2019, 21:01
Done.
Nice deck. If it was mine, I'd bung a Mission 774 on it, but then I would say that 'cos I bung a 774 on every deck! :)Hard to argue with that tbf. Big fan of the 774.
I had an Alphason HRS100 and the 774 at the same time. I sold the 774. It was a mistake. The 100 lasted a few weeks before I sold it on, at a loss I might add.
Would be a good arm for that deck and cartridge.
Hard to argue with that tbf. Big fan of the 774.
I had an Alphason HRS100 and the 774 at the same time. I sold the 774. It was a mistake. The 100 lasted a few weeks before I sold it on, at a loss I might add.
Would be a good arm for that deck and cartridge.
It's one I'd not thought of to be honest. How much do they go for when they come up for sale?
Once I get my tonearm back from service I'll probably be seeing my 774, it'll go up in the classifieds soon
Once I get my tonearm back from service I'll probably be seeing my 774, it'll go up in the classifieds soon
No worries, I'll watch out for it, cheers.
walpurgis
25-07-2019, 21:41
It's one I'd not thought of to be honest. How much do they go for when they come up for sale?
Do an advanced search on ebay for completed 774 sales and take an average. That'll give you a fair idea.
By the way, don't confuse it with the 774SM or 774LC, they are totally different. A good SM is nice, but the LC is a budget item.
I used this very deck with an OL Conqueror and an Audiomods IV. The former is a super arm but too heavy for the deck suspension. The latter was a brilliant match.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
I used this very deck with an OL Conqueror and an Audiomods IV. The former is a super arm but too heavy for the deck suspension. The latter was a brilliant match.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Funnily enough I saw that combo with the Audiomods on Pinterest! Looked nice with the AM on it...
Funnily enough I saw that combo with the Audiomods on Pinterest! Looked nice with the AM on it...Well thankyou!
The Audiomods was a nice aesthetic match as the platter rim and arm were both highly polished. Sonically, the Audiomods was a good match for the Denon (304/DL-S1) and AT (33PTG) that I was using at the time. The arm was light enough to allow proper suspension levelling too.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
crimsondonkey
26-07-2019, 09:20
Could you recommend a phono stage that works well with the Hana, considering it's need for a load greater than 400ohm's.
It might not be as straightforward as that I'm afraid.
In my current set up the Hana SL sounds best at 100-125 ohm load rather than the typical 10x formula of >400 ohms. I can put this down partly to the capacitance of the tonearm cables on the Bergmann and also perhaps the way that my MC head amp work and outputs into Valab phono set at 47k.
So in otherwords the choice of tonearm and associated cable could affect the choice of phono stage. What's your budget btw?
topoxforddoc
26-07-2019, 10:29
Your lovely armboard is cut for a SME. So your options are
a) get a tonearm which can be mounted on a SME cutout (either directly or with an adapter plate)
New SME M2-9R - lovely but very expensive now; Hadcock 228 with a Hadcock SME adapter plate; another tonearm with an adapter plate made by Speedy Steve at Magna Audio
b) source a new armboard in a wood to match your lovely plinth (might be tricky to get a decent match on grain and colour)
Bigman80
26-07-2019, 11:32
Your lovely armboard is cut for a SME. So your options are
a) get a tonearm which can be mounted on a SME cutout (either directly or with an adapter plate)
New SME M2-9R - lovely but very expensive now; Hadcock 228 with a Hadcock SME adapter plate; another tonearm with an adapter plate made by Speedy Steve at Magna Audio
b) source a new armboard in a wood to match your lovely plinth (might be tricky to get a decent match on grain and colour)Spot on about the arm board Doc, the 774 will fit on that perfectly and you'll be able to get excellent setup accurately too as it adjusts in every direction.
Looking at £250 for the arm as a rough guide but it's light enough to not cause any issues and the damping trough can be used if you think it need it. I has the damping rod just scraping the surface and felt it was excellent.
Patrick Dixon
26-07-2019, 13:30
I'd second the Mission 774 idea. Great arm at around £250.
... Hadcock 228 with a Hadcock SME adapter plate;
I've just bought a Hadcock 242 to use with the Sony TTS 8000 and a Decca C4e so I'd be interested in any info on the Hadcock SME adapter plate. It's listed on the British Audio Products site but without a picture, and I know that Hadcock parts are hard to get at the moment. I was thinking of getting a generic Ortofon SME adapter and getting a bush made to step the hole size down from 20 to 16mm, but a ready made solution would be less agro.
Vrajbasi
26-07-2019, 15:28
If it were mine and on a fairly restricted budget a Alphason hr100ms or the xenon mcs lovely tonearms I personally prefer them to the mission 774, and heard one with the hana. I like the zeta too but a bit more tricky to buy a nice one the Mission Mechanic is a lovely arm but rare these days. If I had a bit more then certainly the Sme m9r is a nice tonearm indeed. The Alphason is very enjoyable and if one can find one great value.
If it were mine and on a fairly restricted budget a Alphason hr100ms or the xenon mcs lovely tonearms I personally prefer them to the mission 774, and heard one with the hana. I like the zeta too but a bit more tricky to buy a nice one the Mission Mechanic is a lovely arm but rare these days. If I had a bit more then certainly the Sme m9r is a nice tonearm indeed. The Alphason is very enjoyable and if one can find one great value.
ive owned all those arms except the very rare mechanic,all of them bettered the 774 which ive also owned (3).
but for value for money you cant beat the 774 at approx £250-£400 it much cheaper than £600 upwards the others command if and when one of them comes up for sale.
moodybuilder
26-07-2019, 18:43
Mission mechanic rare these days easier to find rocking horse @#£&
I use the hana on a ol encounter
Floyddroid
26-07-2019, 19:27
I've just become the proud owner of this beauty..
https://i.imgur.com/ISG9lmIh.jpg
I recently won a Hana SL in a competition. So now I have a couple of questions that you good people might help me with please? Could you recommend a phono stage that works well with the Hana, considering it's need for a load greater than 400ohm's. I need to keep the price reasonable and I did think of the Mo-Fi Studio Phono. Does anyone have any experience of this stage?
Also, I have a RB250 on an old Planar 2 that a friend has given me. I'm not sure if the arm is fully ok, as there is some lateral play at the base end of the arm. Therefore, what would you consider? I did think of the Origin Live Onyx, but then I've seen the Audiomods Series 6 arm and the juices are flowing! Anyway, any thoughts would be really appreciated.
Many thanks
That sir is fookin gorgeous
topoxforddoc
26-07-2019, 20:39
I'd second the Mission 774 idea. Great arm at around £250.
I've just bought a Hadcock 242 to use with the Sony TTS 8000 and a Decca C4e so I'd be interested in any info on the Hadcock SME adapter plate. It's listed on the British Audio Products site but without a picture, and I know that Hadcock parts are hard to get at the moment. I was thinking of getting a generic Ortofon SME adapter and getting a bush made to step the hole size down from 20 to 16mm, but a ready made solution would be less agro.
The Hadcock SME plate is a flat metal plate with 4 screw holes for the SME mount along with a 16.25 mm slot cut to mount the Hadcock spindle.
https://i.vgy.me/6HWib3.jpg
So in otherwords the choice of tonearm and associated cable could affect the choice of phono stage. What's your budget btw?
Well I mentioned the Mo-Fi Studio Phono which is £299 I believe. Not a great deal of money but the circuits a Tim de Paravicini design.. apparently.
b) source a new armboard in a wood to match your lovely plinth (might be tricky to get a decent match on grain and colour)
The TT did come with another Ebony armboard (see pics below). It's a Rega one, which has the holes for the newer three point fixing and I suppose it'll fit the older type too? The 774 does seem to be a nice option though and the price is on it's side. I was leaning toward the Audiomods Series6, but it's a whole lot more cash...
Another couple of pics. One with it's acrylic cover
https://i.imgur.com/sxgO7Osh.jpg
These are the two additional armboards
https://i.imgur.com/wBPkQSAh.jpg
The plinth was made for Oldius (Geoff) by Russ Collinson of Layers of Beauty. He's not far from me in sunny Barnsley!
Bigman80
26-07-2019, 21:13
Well I mentioned the Mo-Fi Studio Phono which is £299 I believe. Not a great deal of money but the circuits a Tim de Paravicini design.. apparently.It may be a TDP designed circuit but if its that good, why not use it himself?
What's your budget?
It may be a TDP designed circuit but if its that good, why not use it himself?
What's your budget?
Well if I bought a S/H arm like the 774, then that may free up a little more for the Stage. Funds are tighter than Silas Marner at the moment, but could get nearer £500ish..
DiveDeepDog
26-07-2019, 21:32
I’ve got an Audio Technica at 1130 sat idle. It has sme type base but stp of 225mm (from memory). I’ve fitted it to the same mount as I use for SME iv but at the back of the slot. Pm if interested, it’s light weight so that may influence cart choice. Been a while since I’ve had a 774 so can’t comment on comparison, it did make me scratch my head a bit vs SME when you consider the price difference, it’s certainly better but at a cost !
Patrick Dixon
27-07-2019, 08:12
The Hadcock SME plate is a flat metal plate with 4 screw holes for the SME mount along with a 16.25 mm slot cut to mount the Hadcock spindle.
Thanks Charlie.
I used this very deck with an OL Conqueror and an Audiomods IV. The former is a super arm but too heavy for the deck suspension. The latter was a brilliant match.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Best arm I had on this (very) deck was an Audio Note Arm 3, which beat all-comers by a clear margin. Pricey, though.
With regard to a MC phono stage have you considered the new Rega Fono MC, it has 2 gain settings, 4 different impedance loading and 2 capacitance settings as well so plenty of scope for tuning to the cartridge. I had one on loan for a few days from my local Rega dealer and found the SQ to be excellent, I was definitely going to buy one but was scuppered when my central heating boiler expired and that had to be the priority for all my available cash. I finished up buying the cheaper Cambridge CP2 a couple of months later, it’s good sounding but the Rega was better. I think you’d be hard pressed to beat it for £250.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
With regard to a MC phono stage have you considered the new Rega Fono MC, it has 2 gain settings, 4 different impedance loading and 2 capacitance settings as well so plenty of scope for tuning to the cartridge. I had one on loan for a few days from my local Rega dealer and found the SQ to be excellent, I was definitely going to buy one but was scuppered when my central heating boiler expired and that had to be the priority for all my available cash. I finished up buying the cheaper Cambridge CP2 a couple of months later, it’s good sounding but the Rega was better. I think you’d be hard pressed to beat it for £250.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I didn’t know about the Rega, thanks Steve! Seems like a solid and well priced product. I’ll give my local Rega dealer a call..
Cheers buddy
montesquieu
27-07-2019, 21:00
Best arm I had on this (very) deck was an Audio Note Arm 3, which beat all-comers by a clear margin. Pricey, though.
I would agree with these Audio Note arms, Arm3 (wired with AN-Vx) is superb, I used one on a Voyd with an AN Io, but pick of the bunch in terms of value for money with its AN-V silver litz internal and external cable is the Arm2. But even the Arm1 (copper litz) is a great performer and should outperform vintage arms like the 774 by quite a margin, without the risk/variability you get from old gear where if you end up with a clunker then it's not worth fixing. Recommendation for one of the Alphasons is a good spot, you can still pick up a Xenon for sensible money but again, always the risk (though perhaps more worth spending money on in my view).
M2-9R as recommended would be absolutely lovely but the prices have indeed got a bit silly.
All in all I reckon the Audio Note recomendation is the winner here. Rega geometry too so very easy to accommodate.
I would say though, pick an arm and think about arm board afterwards, various people will do them.
I would agree with these Audio Note arms, Arm3 (wired with AN-Vx) is superb, I used one on a Voyd with an AN Io, but pick of the bunch in terms of value for money with its AN-V silver litz internal and external cable is the Arm2. But even the Arm1 (copper litz) is a great performer and should outperform vintage arms like the 774 by quite a margin, without the risk/variability you get from old gear where if you end up with a clunker then it's not worth fixing. Recommendation for one of the Alphasons is a good spot, you can still pick up a Xenon for sensible money but again, always the risk (though perhaps more worth spending money on in my view).
M2-9R as recommended would be absolutely lovely but the prices have indeed got a bit silly.
All in all I reckon the Audio Note recomendation is the winner here. Rega geometry too so very easy to accommodate.
I would say though, pick an arm and think about arm board afterwards, various people will do them.
I would tend to agree with all of that.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, either the Audio Note arms or a chrome finish modern SME would look perfect mounted on that beautiful TD125 and plinth (I hate to say it but a Mission 774, for all its SQ attributes, just looks awful to my eyes) and provide a very good platform to carry any of today's cartridges.
It's a shame SME seem to be pricing themselves out of the market, though no doubt there is a reason why they have increased their prices so dramatically.
chipcalzada
29-07-2019, 06:38
If you have the budget spring for the Audiomods Series 6. Very happy with mine.
Doctor Fuse
05-06-2020, 23:36
OP, I'm curious what you ended up putting on your 125?
I recently put a Grace G707 on a beat up old Mission 775LC, and it sounds so good, I want to try putting it on my TD160. Except I'm not crazy about having to grind some of the subplatter away, which is apparently necessary for mounting a Rega RB300 (which I am also considering cannibalizing from a Planar 3 that just can't keep steady speed).
If you have mounted an arm, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
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